Manitou Incline: Don’t Climb Every Mountain, Just this One. But Not Yet.

By On April 25, 2012 · 3 Comments · In Andrea Chalfin, Hiking, KRCC News, Manitou Springs

The history of the Manitou Incline dates back to the early 1900s. Long gone are the cable cars that carried passengers up 2,000 vertical feet over a mile-long track. The rails are gone too. But remaining are the ties, which create a trail that’s become an incredibly popular outdoor exercise and recreation destination. Yet hiking the Incline remains illegal. Efforts to change that have failed in the past, but are now closer to success than ever before. KRCC’s Andrea Chalfin set out to discover the allure of the Incline, and spoke with people helping to make the trek officially allowed.

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Please note: Using the Manitou Incline is still illegal. KRCC does not promote, endorse, or otherwise suggest anyone take a trip up the Incline.

For more information:

Incline Friends.
Manitou Incline Site Development and Management Plan

This story appeared in April’s Western Skies, which you can listen to here.

 
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3 Responses to Manitou Incline: Don’t Climb Every Mountain, Just this One. But Not Yet.

  1. Helen Schmidt says:
    April 25, 2012 at 7:58 am

    I was talking with my son the other day about the incline and referred to the lighted “P” and how lovely it used to look. He then proceeded to tell me that there never was such a thing!! Am I becoming more senile than I thought? I can still see the lights in my mind’s eye. Please tell me I am not halucinating!!

    Reply
  2. Kevin says:
    April 25, 2012 at 9:53 am

    I’ve made the trek up the Incline for over 14 years (currently 5 times a week) and it seems to me that 300,000 of the 350,000 annual visitors are from Ft Carson. It also appears that these soldiers each drive their own personal vehicle but congregate in groups. Sounds like an exaggeration? Next time you have to park on Manitou Ave because Ruxton is full, check out the Ft Carson stickers on the windshields (they don’t use the DoD stickers at AF bases anymore).

    Don’t get me wrong, I love and appreciate our warriors but maybe the brass at the five El Paso county military bases should play a bigger role with the big issues of the Incline. There is nothing on earth like it and it must be preserved.

    Reply
    • Sue says:
      May 3, 2012 at 9:30 am

      Kevin, while I agree that a large number of the climbers are probably soldiers, I think they’re only part (not the majority) of the problem. Anyone who goes on Ft. Carson with regularity will get a Carson sticker. All the retireds and dependents will have stickers on their cars.

      Reply

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